Someone To Watch Over Me
by Everlight18
Summary: Merry has always been Pippin's protecter, but when there is an accident while they go ice fishing, Pippin finds thier roles reversed. (No slash, violence, sex or profanity) My first story!
1. 1 Ice Fishing

**Someone to Watch Over Me**

Summery: Merry has always been Pippin's protecter, but when there's an accident while they go ice fishing, Pippin finds thier roles reversed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Middle Earth or the hobbits, however they seem to have me wrapped around thier little fingers.

Chapter 1 - Ice Fishing

"Are you sure the fish will be biteing, Merry?" Pippin asked as they walked along the edge of the road.

"Of course they will, Pip. After all, there cannot be much for them to eat in a frozen river. It will be a special treat for them."

"Oh." He was silent for a moment then said,"I wonder what fish do eat when it is so cold out. Do you suppose there are worms at the bottem of the river? Or do you think that..."

Merry grinned to himself as he half listened to Pippin wonder out loud about fish and thier eating habbits. It was a perfect day to go ice fishing. The pale blue sky dotted with lazy white clouds, the sparkling snow crunching under thier feet, the cold air that made his breath hang in the air. Yes indeed, a perfect day for ice fishing. They continued on, debating on what fish do during the winter and where or not it would snow tonight or why cousin Berilac had not come with them like it was first planed. Soon they reached the river Brandywine and after heading downsteam aways reached a spot that Merry called the "best ice fishing in all of Buckland". Both worked at sawing the hole and when that chore was complete they sat on buckets, baited thier lines and began to wait.

Waiting. Pippin had always disliked waiting. It always to far to long and was, more often than not, quite boring. Still he tried to be patient, after all Merry and he had been planning this trip since, well, yesterday. He was glad that Merry had manged to get his Uncle Sara and Aunt Esme to let him come a week earlier than they had planned so he could spend some extra time with his favorite cousin before things got crazy planning for Yule. He sighed and shifted around causing Merry to glance up at him, "Merry, the fish are not biteing."

His cousin laughed, "We have not even been out here half an hour, Silly. Give them time."

Pippin sighed, wiggling his line a bit hoping that a passing fish would take an interest. Waiting again.

Merry chuckled at his younger cousins impatience. Pippin had never been exactly the most patienct hobbit lad he had ever know. Part of it was his age, after all, Pippin was only 26 and like most tweenagers had lots of energy. Though he seemed to be gifted with more energy than two hobbits put together.

"Merry?"

"Yes."

"I'm hungry."

Merry nodded but did not look up. Pippin tried again

"Merry."

"What Pip?"

"Could we have tea early?"

"We just had lunch. How can you be hungry again already?

"That was almost two hours ago. Could we at least have a snack?" Pippin looked pleadingly at Merry. With a defeated sigh, Merry stood and got thier food basket. Soon they were muching happily on some cheese and fresh baked bread chattering about Yuletide preparations and past Yules.

After thier snack, to Pippin's delight, the fish began to bite. Soon Merry had hooked a small trout and with a good amount of excitment on the part of Pippin deemed it large enough to keep. Not long after he caught another but it was too small to keep. Pippin was the next to caught a fish, another trout, which was even bigger than Merry's. Merry made a long wistle at the size of it. "It's a real nice one ,Pip" Pippin beamed with pleasure. Sood they ate the rest of the food for teatime and returned to fishing.

Not long after they had started again Merry noticed that the clouds were begining to pile up in the north and were looking rather dark. The wind was picking up as well. "Looks like we'll have a storm tonight." he said. Pippin glanced up and nodded in agreement.

"It looks far away to me."

"Yes, but they can move fast. I would rather not be caught in one, myself." On that note he stood, rubbing his rather numb backside and began to pack things up. "Pippin, come and help me pack up."

"I'm coming. I'm coming," Pippin stood up and glanced again at the sky. Already the clouds looked closer and angrier.

It did not take long for them to pack up thier gear and soon they were heading back up the river. Merry was in the lead carrying the buckets and fishing rods, while Pippin proudly carried thier two fish and empty food basket. Rather than walk on the bank they walked on the edge of the river where the going was a bit easier. They had not gone far when Pippin slipped on the ice and fell into Merry, who was knocked down without warning. "Get off Pip!" his muffled voice floated up to Pippin who rolled of his flattened cousin.

"Sorry, Merry. You alright?"

"I'm fine, Pip. Just fine." Now that he could sit up he began brushing the clinging snow off him and glared crossly at his younger cousin. "Would you help me up since you knocked me down or are you just going to stand there gaping like a fish?" Pippin gave Merry a hand and pulled him to his feet then retrieved his dropped items. Merry bent down and picked up the fishing poles, glad they he had not broke them but saw that the buckets had rolled out several feet to his right. Without a thought he walked out toward the pail, and heard a sicking CRACK!. Before he could leap back the ice broke away beneath him and he was plunged down into the friged waters.

The last thing he heard before he disappered under the water was Pippin's scream.

"MERRY!"

*****TBC****


	2. 2 On Thin Ice

**Someone To Watch Over Me**

Disclaimer: The hobbits and Middle Earth belong to Tolkien, not me. I must get to play them sometimes. 

Author's Note: I am still becoming familiar with the hobbits so please excuse any of my mistakes. Thank you for all the reviews. 

For shirebound. 

**Chapter 2 - On Thin Ice**

Pippin stood frozen in horror, his scream still rang in his ears and he was shaking with fear. I only glanced away for a moment, he thought, only a moment. Now all that remained where Merry had been was the large hole in the ice. The water was an almost black-blue color and he could see pieces of ice bobbing about in the dark water. The bits of ice dipped and spun in the fridge waters; the only sign that Merry had been there at all.

Merry. Where was Merry? Why wasn't he coming up? Time seemed to stand still. He felt as if he had been standing there forever waiting.

"Please", he whispered. Merry would come up. He _had_ to. "Please...Oh please come up.

Still he waited. 

"Excuse me..."

The unexpected voice startled the newest member of the kitchen staff into nearly dropping the blue pewter bowl she had been putting away. It was only her quick reflexes that averted the near disaster. With the bowl safely in hand she turned toward the visitor and gasped. It was the Mistress!

"Oh, Mistress Brandybuck! I...I'm sorry. I didn't see you..." She was stopped by the mistress' upraised hand.

"No need to apologize._ I _should be apologizing to _you_ for startling you so." She smiled gently at the nervous lass hoping to calm her fears. It worked and shyly the lass smiled in return.

"I don't believe that I have had a chance to officially make you aquatints. I am Esmeralda Brandybuck, " Here a bit of a smile quirked on her lips. "At you service."

The lass flushed as she remembered her manners. "Violet Boffin at your service, Ma'am" She finished with a slightly awkward curtsey, as she was still holding the bowl. "Was there something that you needed?"

"Yes, there was. I was wondering if you had any more of those sweet apple tarts we had at luncheon. My Merry just loves apple tarts and I thought it would be nice to have them at teatime when the lads are finished with their work." Many hobbits took tea with their own family or friends rather than all meet in the large dinning hall. It also gave the cooks a bit of a break and time to prepare for supper.

"Of course, my little sister loves tarts as well." Violet set the bowl on the table. "We have a few left over that you can take, just let me fetch them for you." With that she headed into one of the larger pantries to retrieve the leftover tarts.

She was only gone a moment when a small side door that lead into the main kitchen swung open, letting in some cold air. The door led down a small hall to another door that opened to the outside; hence the cold air. It had been built several generations back after one of the head cooks had pointed out the usefulness of bringing in supplies through a more direct route rather than taking them through main halls and getting in the way. I had proven to be quiet useful.

Esme turned to see her nephew, Berilac Brandybuck, entering the kitchen with a large load of wood for the kitchen stoves.

"What did you do this time, Beri?" She teased.

"Nothing, Auntie." With a grunt he dropped the wood into the waiting wood box. "Just thought that I would make some use out of myself."

A laugh came from the other end of the room where two younger lasses where washing the dishes. "More like standing in the way to try and catch Violet." The other lass giggled. "So Cook put him to work. She said, 'If you want to be in this kitchen then you had better be doing more than gawking at my help.' " They nearly fell over with their giggles.

Emse fought down the laugh that threatened to erupt and managed to give Beri a sympathetic smile.

Just then Violet returned with the tarts. "There should be enough for tea, Ma'am." She smiled up at the mistress who no longer seemed so imposing as before.

"Thank you, dear. This should be plenty." Violet nodded then turned to finish her assignments. As she did she noticed Beri standing by the wood box just starting at her like he had done this morning. She blushed, then turned quickly away as the other lasses started giggling again.

The Master's wife managed to wait until she was out of hearing distance to laugh. Young love! 

Suddenly Merry came up gasping for air.

"Merry! Merry! Hold on, I'm coming!" Pippin cried as he started across the ice toward his cousin.

"No!" Merry gasped, both from the cold water and the sight of his cousin coming heedlessly toward him. "Pip, the is too weak. You'll fall right through."

Pippin stopped. He had completely forgotten that he could fall through the ice himself. Fool of a Took! he thought.

"Merry?"

"Yes, Pip?" Merry's teeth began to chatter.

"How am I suppose to get you out if I can't come to you."

"Well," Merry tried to think but it was rather hard to do when he was clinging to the ice in a freezing river. "I ssss...suppose you'll have to find something yourself."

"Oh...Ok." He had hoped that Merry had an idea.

Perhaps the fishing line? A quick lance at the fishing rods dispelled that idea. There was no way the light fishing line would support his cousin's weight. The basket and fish would be useless. And, with a quick glance around, he saw nothing else that stood out to him as a help.

A loud crack rang out and a sharp gasp turned him around so fast that he almost fell as the bit of ice Merry had been clinging to had come loose and dunked him back into the dark icy water. One full second pasted before Merry cam up gagging and choking.

"Merry! Are you alright?"

"Ccc...cold. Sss...so cold." Pippin could hear his friends teeth chattering and see his body shaking from the icy water. If only there were someone here that was older. Someone who would know what to do.

Help. That was what it! Surely there was somebody close by.

"Help! Somebody! HHHEEELLLPP!" Merry gave a start, almost loosing his girp on the weakened ice, at Pippin's yell. It had been a long time since he had heard his cousin yell like that. But even his loud cries didn't produce results.

"It...ttt's no...use, Pip...Wwwee are...ttthe only ones...ooouuuttt...here." He was so cold. He couldn't remember being so cold in his life.

"NO! There has to be somebody!" There just_ had _to be. "HHHHHEEEELLLLPPP!"

The whistling wind was the only answer.

Pippin's eyes stung with frustrated tears. There had to be some way to save his cousin. There _must _be. If only he could find it.

Then he thought of it. It might work. There was a chance. It just might work.

"Hold on, Merry! I've got an idea. I will be back." He shouted the words over his shoulder as he began to run.

He barely heard his cousin's words as he ran into the woods.

"Hhhh...hurr..rrry, Pip."

****** 

Saradoc yawned and stretched his sore body.

You cannot sit for so long in that chair, he told himself. Gingerly he stood then stiffly moved around the large oak desk and slowly to the door. By the time he reached the end of the hall and turned to head towards his apartments, he was a was a good bit less stiff and feeling better.

Getting older was not an enjoyable occupation.

As he walked he thought about all the things he had left to do. Sometime they would have to purchase more firewood and send someone to get more supplies for Yuled. Of course there was the Yule tree and the dance to prepare for. He shook his head, it was only a few more weeks till Yule and there was still so much to get ready. By this time he had reached the door that opened to his apartments. He could smell the warm food and smiled. With a quick knock he let himself in.

"Mmmm...That smells wonderful, dear." His Esme looked up from the scarf she was knitting.

"Oh, there you are. I was about to send someone down to check on you and see if you were taking tea in your office."

"Why would I do that when I can take tea with my lovely wife."

"Lovely? I think you need you eyes checked, Sara." She smiled. " You tea tray is by you chair."

"My eyes are perfectly fine. Besides I married you for so I could have some of that delicious ham."

This time she threw a ball of red yarn at him. Laughing he ducked, planted a kiss on the top of her head and then put himself out of reach.

"Your as bad as the lads, Saradoc Brandybuck." She laughed. "Besides _I _was the one who picked _you _if you can recall."

"A good choice on your part, then." He sat down in his chair with a contented sigh.

"Where are the lads? I thought they were with you."

"No, I gave them the day off to go ice fishing on the river. They said that they would be back by teatime though, now that I think of it, they might have decided to take tea with Beri."

"Well then I suppose that I will just keep their food warm until we know for certain." If the lads took tea with Beri and his family they would send word.

With that they began their meal. For tea there were biscuits and jam, tea (of course), some dried fruit and nuts, sweet apple tarts, and ham sandwiches. For several minutes they simply ate, giving proper attention to the food. There were occasional comments on the sweetness of the jam, and the soft biscuits but little other conversation. After the meal Saradoc took out a bit of wood and began to whittle away it. He hoped it would be finished by Yule as he had gotten a rather late start.

"Seems that a storm has blown in." Esme said breaking the silence with a slight shiver. "It's starting to look frightful out there." She looked out the window. The wind whipped and threw the snow about as more fell from the dark clouds overhead. Already it was starting to get dark. It would be very cold tonight.

Her husband nodded absently, his gaze going to the window to view the storm for a moment, then back to his carving. He sighed, set it down and swiped a tart from his wife's tray without her noticing. With the tart safely in hand he finally spoke.

"I would have hoped that the weather would have held off for Yule." Esme nodded in agreement.

"Who do you think will be Berilac's dance partner at the Yule dance, Sara?" Her green eyes sparkled in the firelight.

"I believe you think that you know."

She sighed and then noticed that one of her tarts were missing. "I _do _know. He is sweet on the Cook's newest girl."

"Violet?"

She nodded. "He is quite taken with her." She went on to tell of what she saw in the kitchen and they both chuckled at the incident. Saradoc began to tell her what he had done that day. He was in the middle of talking about a business deal he and Meriamac had been working on when he sat up so suddenly that he nearly knocked over his tea tray. Esmeralda looked up in surprize.

"Esme, did you say that you saw Beri in the kitchen at luncheon?"

She felt a flash of worry at the urgent tone in his voice. "Yes. Is something wrong, Saradoc?"

"Merry and Pippin weren't with him?"

"No..." she said slowly. "No, I didn't see them with him." Now she was worried. "Were they suppose to be?"

"Yes."

For a long moment she stared at him not comprehending what he was saying. Then it hit her. If Berilac hadn't gone with Merry and Pippin then they would not be taking tea with his family. Which meant that they should have been here taking tea with them. Her heart seemed to stop. Where were her lads? The wind whipped view through the window came before her eyes.

"Oh, Sara!"

"Don't worry, Esme, it's probably just a simple misunderstanding." He tried to keep the worry and fear that so suddenly had gripped him out of his voice. Standing, he hoped from the top of his curly haired head to the bottom of his furry feet that this was all just a misunderstanding. Merry and Pippin were fine. He was over reacting. He tried to believe his own words. A misunderstanding, that was all.

As Saradoc walked to the door, Esmeralda watched him with worry-filled green eyes. Eyes that were so much like her nephew's. She tried to swallow the lump that was settling in her throat.

It was just a misunderstanding. It _had _to be.

****** 

The wind whipped his face, snow stinging like a thousand needles and chilling him to the bone as he ran through the storm. The forest was more protected than the river had been but not by much. I have to find it, he thought desperately remembering his cousin's white face and shaking body. He won't last long in that water. Gritting his teeth he made himself move faster. His eyes searched the ground for what might save his best friend's life.

It was growing darker, the sun setting earlier and the storm clouds blocking what little light there was, when he found it. The branch was long, over twice his own length, and thick. He glanced around once more but finding nothing better he began pulling the branch quickly toward the river and his cousin. Hold on, Merry, he thought. I'm coming!

Once he reached the river he shouted, "Merry! I'm back. Hold on."

Merry slowly looked up. He was shaking violently now and found he didn't have the energy to answer his cousin's call.

Hurry! Pippin's mind cried as his heart sank at the lack of response from his cousin. Slowly, he told himself as he stepped onto the ice. Slowly, as he inched further out pulling the large branch behind him. When he thought that he was far enough out to reach Merry but close enough not to put himself in danger he stopped.

"Merry." No response. "Merry!," he said louder. A bit of movement. "MERRY!" His cousin's head slowly lifted. "Merry listen to me. Grab hold of this branch." He pushed it towards his friend. "I am going to pull you out."

"Nnnnooo..." Pippin barley heard it over the sound of the wind. "Yyyou... woullldd getttt...pulleddd...in."

"No, Merry. I won't." Merry's head slowly shook, eyes closing. "MERRY!" The eyes opened.

"If you don't grab this branch and let me help you...then...then I will jump in the river and drowned with you." Slowly shock appeared on Merry's face as the words sank in. Pippin hated to threaten his cousin like this but sometimes it was the only way to get through to him. Stubborn Brandybuck!

Green eyes stared into hazel. Then slowly Merry's right hand moved and grabbed hold of the branch. Then his left moved to join the other.

"Good, Mer! Now hold on as tight as you can."

Now came the hard part. The part that Pippin had thus far refused to think about. How was he going to pull a hobbit who was eight years his senior and probably weighed more than a twice of his own body weight out of an icy river? You don't have any choice, Pip. He thought. You _have _to. He know he would have to pull his cousin ou. He would. No matter how hard because there was no other option.

Gritting his teeth he braced himself.

"Ready, Merry?" A slow nod. Pippin took a deep breath. "Alright. Hold on!"

With that he began to pull. 

****TBC****


End file.
